Intel's Meteor Lake series of processors was launched in September 2023 with a focus on mobile platforms. Multiple mini-PC vendors have utilized these processors to market offerings in the SFF / UCFF desktop market. ACEMAGIC is an Asian manufacturer with products in multiple categories including micro-PCs, UCFF (ultra-compact form-factor) and SFF (small form-factor) PCs, and notebooks. They were one of the first to market with Meteor Lake-based desktop systems.

The ACEMAGIC F2A 125H is the entry-level version of the F2A line, equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor. It is a bit larger than the traditional NUCs, slotting it in the SFF category. However, that allows for the processor to be operated at 65W (compared to the 28 - 40W adopted in the UCFF systems). Read on for a comprehensive look at the performance and features of the ACEMAGIC F2A 125H, including some comments on the pros and cons of the higher operating power as well as other design decisions.

The trend towards miniaturization of desktop systems was kickstarted by the Intel NUCs in the early 2010s. The increasing popularity of compact PCs also led to the introduction of a variety of slightly larger form-factors. Custom boards falling in size between the NUC's 4" x 4" ultra-compact form-factor (UCFF) and industrial-applications oriented 3.5" SBC have also gained traction. The ECS LIVA Z5 PLUS is one such system, designed and marketed towards business and industrial use-cases.

Intel's Raptor Lake series of products was introduced in early 2023. It came in both P and U versions for notebooks and ultraportables, in addition to the usual H(X) ones for high-performance gaming notebooks. Most mini-PCs and NUCs opted for the P varieties in their systems. The ECS LIVA Z5 PLUS represents a different take, with a U series processor operating with a slight increase in the configurable TDP (cTDP) over Intel's suggested 15W operating point. Read on for a comprehensive look at the performance and features of the ECS LIVA Z5 PLUS, including some comments on the benefits enabled by the slightly larger form-factor.